New research reveals that chemicals in common plastics may quietly trigger lifelong health problems. Exposure early in life has been linked to obesity, infertility, and even cognitive issues.
Scientists say small lifestyle changes can help, but lasting protection will require bold international action.
Rising Concerns About Plastic Exposure in Early Life
Childhood contact with chemicals used in everyday plastic products appears to carry significant health risks that can continue well into adulthood, according to experts from NYU Langone Health.
This conclusion comes from an extensive review of hundreds of recent studies published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.
Evidence Linking Plastic Chemicals to Disease
In the new analysis, researchers summarize decades of work showing that additives commonly incorporated into industrial and household plastics may raise the likelihood of disease and disability, especially when exposure occurs early in life. The review highlights three major groups of chemicals — phthalates, which increase flexibility, bisphenols, which give plastics their rigidity, and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which make products heat resistant and water repellent.
Together, the evaluated studies followed thousands of pregnant people, fetuses, and children. The findings connect these chemicals to long-term health problems that include heart disease, obesity, infertility, and asthma.
